Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro sprawls between forested mountains and a coastline of wide sandy beaches. The cruise terminal at Pier Mauá is downtown, near the Museum of Tomorrow (a Santiago Calatrava building on the waterfront) and the Rio Museum of Art. A light-rail tram connects the port area to the rest of the city centre, and taxis and Uber are widely available. Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado is the headline attraction, reached by a cog railway through the Tijuca forest. The cable car to the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain is best timed for late afternoon, when the light softens. Copacabana and Ipanema beaches are about 20 minutes south of the port by taxi. Street safety is a genuine concern in Rio, so leave valuables on the ship, keep your phone out of sight, and avoid wandering into unfamiliar neighbourhoods. For food, try a feijoada (black bean and pork stew) or açaí bowl from a juice bar. The currency is the Brazilian real.